The Week Ahead... (Oct. 24)

Tuesday – Nashville vs San Jose
The Preds begin their 3 game home stand against tomorrow Western Conference rival San Jose Sharks. Nashville posted a 2-0-2 record against the Sharks last season. Shea Weber led all Predators in points against San Jose a season ago with one goal and three assists in four games. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Tennessee with radio coverage on the Preds Radio Network including flagship station 102.5 The Game. Puck drops at 7:00pm/CT. Tuesday is also a Daily’s Super Tuesday! Buy your Daily's Super Tuesday package and receive 2 upper level tickets for $49 OR 2 lower level tickets for $99, along with a coupon for $5 off your Daily’s purchase.

Thursday – Nashville vs Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Lightning, a rare Eastern Conference opponent, will make their way into Bridgestone Arena on Thursday. Ever present stars Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Steven Stamkos are making their presence felt this season. Last season, Nashville won the only match-up between these two clubs. Colin Wilson was responsible for the game winning goal and Anders Lindback stopped 45 of 42 shots in the 4-3 win. This Thursday is also College Night. Every Thursday, with proof of a college ID, receive an upper bowl ticket for $15 or a lower bowl ticket for $25. Drink specials will be offered to all those in attendance through the first intermission. Game coverage will be radio-only on the Preds Radio Network including flagship station 102.5 The Game. Puck drops at 7:00pm/CT.

Thursday – Hockey Fights Cancer Night
Also on Thursday, the Nashville Predators will host the first of two Hockey Fights Cancer nights. Funds will be raised through a portion of single game ticket sales, 100% of the silent auction, blind auction, mystery pucks, mystery sticks and cash donations. Volunteers will be posted at all main entrances collecting donations when fans enter the building and during 1st and 2nd intermission – bring you change! The players will be wearing limited edition Hockey Fights Cancer jerseys during warm-ups which will be autographed and sold through a blind auction that night. All of the proceeds raised will benefit the Nashville Predators Pediatric Cancer Research Fund at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. For more information please visit nashvillepredators.com/beatcancer or call (615) 770-2321.

Saturday – Nashville vs Anaheim
Nashville will face-off against the Anaheim Ducks for the first time since ousting the team during the first round of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup playoffs and earning a second round berth for the first time in franchise history. The Preds went 3-1-0 against the Ducks last season before entering the playoffs. Patric Hornqvist led all Predators in points with seven, three goals and four assists. Saturday is also McDonald’s Family Four Pack night. It is a great way for families to experience Smashville for an affordable price. This ticket package includes 4 upper level tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 soft drinks for only $99. Order your tickets today by visiting nashvillepredators.com/mcdonalds.

Saturday – Halloween In SmashvillDuring Saturday night's Preds game, the team will also host ‘Halloween in Smashville’. All fans are encouraged to wear costumes to the game. In addition to reverse trick-or-treating, there will be a special Halloween-themed Plaza Party before the game with Costume Karaoke and special seasonal games geared toward children.

This Week...
The Nashville Predators return home for a three game home stand at Bridgestone Arena. Games start tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks and continue on Thursday with a match-up against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Bridgestone Arena. The week wraps up on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Injury Report

Francis Bouillon is day-to-day recovering from an upper body injury suffered last season. Bouillon continues to practice with the team and even made the trip to Western Canada with the team last week.

Martin Erat is day-to-day with an upper body injury suffered in the Season Opener at Columbus.

Mike Fisher is day-to-day after having off-season shoulder surgery. Fisher participated in full practice with the team on Monday morning, but did not make the trip to Western Canada with the team last week.

The Week That Was...
Nashville went 1-2-0 last week on their Western Canada road trip, putting them at .500 with 7 games played so far this season. On Monday against Edmonton, Nashville suffered their first road loss on the season. Pekka Rinne gave up just two goals for the fourth time in five starts, and was named Third Star of the Game. Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks was a tough game for the Preds, losing 5-1. Anders Lindback made his 2011-12 debut in relief of Pekka Rinne, stopping 23-of-24 shots over the final 40 minutes of play. Matt Halischuk scored his second goal of the season, with Colin Wilson and Jonathon Blum recording assists. Nashville closed off the road trip on a positive note, with a win against the Calgary Flames. Two days after his team was routed by the Canucks, Pekka Rinne made 33 saves and earned first-star honors by beating the Flames 2-0 on Saturday. Niclas Bergfors and Sergei Kostitsyn scored for the Preds.

Prospect of the Week... Zach Budish -- A second round pick in 2009, Budish has had his development stunted by a pair of knee injuries, but he's back on the ice healthy for the University of Minnesota this season and producing at All-America levels. Budish recorded one goal and two assists with a +3 rating in Minnesota's weekend split versus perinnial eastern powerhouse Vermont. Additionally, the 6-foot-3, 215 pound power forward triggered the game opening goal in Sunday's contest with a key screen on the Vermont netminder. Through the first six games of the season, Budish has two goals and four assists with a +5 plus/minus rating for the 5-1-0 Gophers.

Photo of the Week...
Here's your chance to be heard; come up with a caption for the photo below. Best submissions will be included in next week's column. Send entries in through twitter with the hashtag #PredsPhoto